Scientific basis of Sabbath and Sunday; a new investigation after the manner and methods of modern science, revealing the true origin and evolution of the Jewish Sabbath and the Lord's day, for the purpose of ascertaining their real significance and proper observance

Front matter

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT

A NEW INVESTIGATION AFTER THE MANNER AND METHODS OF MODERN SCIENCE, REVEALING THE TRUE ORIGIN AND EXACT NATURE OF

THE JEWISH SABBATH AND THE LORD’S DAY

Part II

THE SEVENTH DAY OF THE HEBREWS. CHAPTER I.

Relation of the Hebrews to Neighboring Tribes . 49

IX

X

Contents,

CHAPTER II. page

Development of the Seventh Day of the Hebrews, 57

CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER IY.

Transition from the Lunar Seventh Day to the

Regular Seventh Day. 87

Part III

THE SEVENTH DAY OF THE CHRISTIANS. CHAPTER I.

References to the Lord’s Day in the New Testament, 125 CHAPTER II.

Testimony of Ante-nicene Fathers and Writers . 134

CHAPTER III.

Relation of the Lord’s Day to the Jewish Sabbath, 143

CHAPTER IY.

Relation of Christ to the Sabbath of the Jews . 155

CHAPTER V.

Contents, xi

CHAPTER VI. page

The Commandments that are Binding on Christians, 189

Chapter I. Traces Of Sabbatic Observance Among Pagan Peoples

A careful study of the religious life of primi¬ tive peoples reveals the remarkable fact of the widespread observance of the weekly holy day. Nations widely separated by space and time have been the fortunate custodians of this institution. Races standing high in civilization, as well as those low in the stage of human progress, are alike sharers in the benefits of this sacred day. No continent, whether in its ancient or modern days, has been without a representative of a weekly rest in honor of gods or God. As more light is obtained regarding the early habits of the various divisions of mankind, the more widely prevalent is found the sacred Seventh Day.

Recent discoveries in Oriental lands have greatly added to the treasures of knowledge on this interesting subject, and have brought from beneath the dust of time long-forgotten cities, with evidences of their customs, habits and religious conceptions. The most important of these is the great find in 1869 on the site of Nineveh, in which were exhumed thirty thousand tablets, collected and deposited there many centuries be¬ fore Christ by Assur-bani-pal. The cuneiform, or wedge-shaped inscriptions, on the tablets in this wonderful library, bear witness of the existence of a Sabbath handed down from earlier times. In relation to this discovery, Sayce, who is a well known authority, says: “ The chief interest attaching to it is due to the fact that it bears evi¬ dence of a seventh-day Sabbath, on which certain works were forbidden to be done, among the Babylonians and the Assyrians.” 1 Also “ The seventh, fourteenth, nineteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-eighth days of the month were days of rest.” 2 The following is the full text of the first Sabbath in the Elul calendar: “ The 7th day is a fast day, (dedicated) to Merodach and Zarpanit. A lucky day. A day of rest (Sabbath). The shepherd of mighty nations must not eat flesh cooked at the fire (or) in the smoke. His clothes he must not change. White garments he must not put on. He must not offer sacrifice. The king must not drive a chariot. He must not

1 Records of the Past, Vol. vii. p. 157.

2 Ibid, Vol. i. p. 164.

Sabbatic Observance among Pagan Peoples. 5

issue royal decrees. In a secret place the augur must not mutter. Medicine for the sickness of his body he must not apply. For making a curse it is not fit. During the night the king makes his free-will offering before Merodach and Istar. He offers sacrifice. The lifting up of his hand finds favor with the god.” 1 The wording of the other Sabbaths in this intercalary month is the same as the above with the exception of the gods addressed. It appears singular that a Sab¬ bath should fall on the nineteenth day of the month, but this is accounted for by Boscawen, who states that it is the seventh week from the beginning of the preceding month, making a Sab¬ batic week. 2

Among the “ Creation Records ” on the first tablet, as translated by Talbot, a distinguished Assyriologist, is the text:

“ On the seventh day he appointed a holy day,

And to cease from all business he commanded.” 8

Not only had the people of Babylonia a Seventh Day rest, but there are evidences of a Sabbatic week, a Sabbatic month, and a Sabbatic year. 4

1 Hibbard Lectures by Sayce, p. 71.

2 Bible and Monuments, p. 68.

8 Records of the Past, Vol. ix., p. 118.

4 Bible and Monuments, p. 69.

From the many Accadian words, expressions and technical terms employed in the inscriptions of the Nineveh Library, scholars have definitely declared that these writings are of Accadian origin, and that the science and theology of the Accadians were borrowed by the Babylonians and from them in turn by the Assyrians. This his¬ toric people in the valley of the Accad ceased to exist as a nation about B. c. 2000, and the Sabbath must have been instituted long before this date.

If we take Ragozin as an authority, the Sab¬ bath was observed in the reign of Sargon, who ruled in the year B. c. 3800. 1 Keary, in his “ Dawn of History,” has well said : “ Before com¬ merce, or writing, or law, had advanced beyond their earliest beginnings, religious rites and funeral rites had no doubt been established in every tribe, and man’s thoughts about God and his relation¬ ship to his creatures had found some verbal ex¬ pressions, some sort of creed, in which they could be handed down from father to son and form a new tie to bind men together.” 2 We are told by Petrie, who is one of the most active investigators in Biblical Archaeology, that Babylonia was in

1 Story of Chaldea, pp. 213, 256.

2 Dawn of History, p. 109.

Sabbatic Observance among Pagan Peoples . 7

a high state of civilization as early as the year B. c. 6000. 1 Professor Hilprecht, Assyriologist and director of the Babylonian Expedition of the Penn¬ sylvania University, has given out this authorita¬ tive statement: “ There is now abundant evidence that the Babylonian people existed, and were civilized enough to be able to write, at least 7000 years before Christ.” 2 He has even gone farther, and stated, “that in his judgment the written records of Babylonia probably went back as far as 8000 before the Christian Era. 3 Acting upon the data that religious rites, which includes, in this case, sacred days, preceded arts, literature, commerce, and law, the holy day then must have been in existence at least 7000 years before Christ, or nearly 9000 years from the present time. Thus we have a primitive Sabbath in Babylonia, closely analogous in its injunctions to the Sabbath of the Hebrews and Rabbinical Jews, many centuries before the advent of Moses.

The next country laying claims to great antiq¬ uity is that which lies in the Valley of the Nile. This land of the Pyramids adds significant testi¬ mony regarding the weekly religious day. From the Egyptian “ Records of the Past ” information

1 Biblia, Vol. viii., p. 328. 2 Ibid, Vol. ix., p. 184.

» Ibid, Vol. ix., p. 227.

is conveyed to us concerning this Seventh Day. In it the following passage occurs:

‘ * O Ra adored in Aptu (Thebes) :

High crowned in the house of the obelisk (Heliopolis) :

King (Ani) Lord of the New Moon Festival:

To whom the sixth and seventh days are sacred.” 1

Mr. Goodwin, the able translator, says: “ The above quotation was discovered in a hieratic papy¬ rus belonging to the nineteenth dynasty, and seems to be the contents of an earlier copy.” Thus, in the fourteenth century, B. c., in the valley of the Nile, there was a Seventh Day Sabbath handed down from earlier times. The Egyptians regarded it as a lucky day, but unlucky if any work was performed; so the priests in¬ sisted on its observance. Later on, it was called “ Saturn’s Unlucky Day.”

With reference to China, the next in point of age and the most remote of the empires of the East from the cradle of the race, we are not left in doubt concerning the prevalence of a weekly rest-day. The great age of the empire, the won¬ derful tenacity with which it holds to old customs, and its almost complete exemption from foreign influence, render the testimony of this people of

1 Records of the Past, Vol. ii., p. 132, old series.

Sabbatic Observance among Pagan Peoples. 9

great significance as to the independent origin of the day.

In the funereal customs, the Chinese Seventh Day seems to have a holy character; and special exercises of devotion, with sacrifices to the de¬ parted spirit are conscientiously offered, which do not occur on any other day. In the Imperial Almanac, published by the Emperor, the heavens were divided into twenty-eight constellations, or houses of the moon as they were called, and these were subdivided into four groups, containing seven in each group. The centre one was marked with a peculiar character, meaning “ closed,” and has been there from time immemorial. The days occupying the centre of each group were called Heu, Maou, Sing, Fang, and were marked as days of rest. These days occurred every seventh lunar day. Some of these constellations were mentioned by Lao, twenty-four centuries before the Christian Era. The twenty-eight constellations were first established by Yao, b. c. 2317. 1

In the book of the “ Diagrams,” in the age of Fuh-he, who commenced to reign about B. c. 2857, the expression, “ Seven days complete a circle” is found. From the contents of this book, we learn that the Seventh Day was a lucky day 1 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. ii., art. astronomy.

for the meeting of friends, when “ benefits were to be obtained in all directions.” The king ordered on that day, that “ the gates of the great road should be shut and traders not permitted to pass, nor princes to go to examine the states.” 1 In the annals of Suhusius, the Emperor is repre¬ sented as offering a sacrifice to the Supreme Deity every Seventh Day. 2

India also possessed this sacred institution. In an article on Hindoo Festivals, published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, this expres¬ sion occurs : “ Every seventh lunar day is consid¬ ered sacred.” The Phoenicians, according to Porphyry, consecrated the Seventh Day as holy. The Seventh Day was observed by the Greeks. Homer says that “ On the seventh day came the sacred day.” The Elegies of Solon intensely deify the Seventh Day. Josephus says: “No city of the Greeks or Barbarians can be found which does not acknowledge the seventh day rest from labor.” The Greeks and the Romans, ac¬ cording to Aretius, consecrated Saturday to rest, conceiving it unfit for civil action and warlike affairs, but suited for contemplation, and a day, therefore, on which divine patronage was to be

2 The Sabbath and Its Defence, p. 19.

Sabbatic Observance among Pagan Peoples. 11

implored against dangers and misfortunes. 1 Be¬ fore Mohammed’s time, the Saracens kept their Sabbath on Friday and from them he and his followers adopted the custom. The pagan Slavo¬ nians observed a weekly festival. Professor Hadley gives us to understand that the Persians had a sacred Seventh Day. 2

All the leading nations of antiquity observed the custom of keeping a sacred day, and this fact is not only characteristic of the great nations, but it may be seen among many tribes scattered throughout the habitable world. A few may be mentioned.

Tribes on the west coast of Africa, in the terri¬ tory of Guinea, had a weekly day devoted to religious services. The Sofalese on the east coast of Africa claim to have a Seventh Day of rest. In Pegu, a province of the Ganges, the natives had a weekly day on which they assembled to receive instruction from the priests, who were called Tallopoise. A similar custom seems to have been observed in the provinces of Siam and Laos, whose priests bear the same name as those in Pegu.

The New World, though completely separated

1 The Sabbath, by Gilfillan, p. 363.

2 Hadley’s Essays, p. 329.

from the East, can produce evidence of a Seventh Day rest similar to that of their Oriental neigh¬ bors. The Peruvians were the possessors of the month, the week, and the Sabbath, long before they came in contact with the nations of Europe.

Philo, speaking with reference to the Sabbath, says: “ That day is a festival not of one city or one country, but of all the earth. ”

These evidences show conclusively that nations and tribes scattered over the world have observed the hebdomadal rest at a very early age in the history of the race. Many more cases could be mentioned, but these sufficiently illustrate its universal scope.

Origin of the Week and Holy Day. 13

Chapter II. The Origin Of The Week And Holy Day Among Primitive Peoples

Having seen the prevalence of the weekly rest-day among ancient peoples, the question now is, How did these nations have such unanimity regarding this religious custom? Formerly the origin of the Seventh Day was supposed to reach away beyond the range of historic vision into • the dim and dateless past, hut the spade and pick, together with other agencies, have in these modern days dispelled the darkness, rolled back the scroll of time, and revealed to us the circumstances of its beginning. It has been said, with truth, that “ The origin of the Sab¬ bath must be sought within a circle that used the week as a divisor of time.” 1 The origin of the Sabbath is identical with the origin of the week; that is to say, what originated the week was also the causal agent of the Sabbath.

1 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. xxi., p. 125.

It is a known fact that all divisions of time were primarily made by the movements of heavenly bodies. We must, then, look for its source in some phenomena of nature, common to all, and of such an attractive character as to call forth marked attention. Some suppose that it was due to the seven planets. It is true the days of the week were named after the planets as then known by Chaldea, but this is com¬ paratively a recent idea. Formerly the months, the weeks and days of the week, w r ere indicated by numbers. Some time afterwards the names of the seven planets or planetary gods were applied to the seven days of the week. The Chaldean order of planets — Saturn, Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus — was intro¬ duced into Egypt about A. d. 150, but Egypt had a week and a sacred day many centuries before this. Egypt did not long enjoy this boon before it was carried to Rome. Roman writers speak of a seventh rest day at least a thousand gen¬ erations previous to the introduction of this astrological week. If the -week were derived from the planets, then all the other countries would have their particular names and the same order; but this is not the case, for India com¬ menced its week with the supposed largest planet

Origin of the Week and Holy Bay . 15

and Egypt commenced hers with the most dis¬ tant planeo. So then, in each country referred to above, the seven-day week was a time-period long recognized before they thought of giving names to the days.

Others claim that the number seven was a sacred number among early peoples; but this is far from satisfactory. From a little investiga¬ tion, it will be seen that other numbers, such as five, ten, twelve, forty, and seventy, were also sacred, and were frequently mentioned in the Bible and in other sacred books of the East The numbers ten and twelve figure prominently, and are as truly sacred numbers as the number seven. No number is at first sacred abstractly. It is only the association with something religious that gives a number a sacred import. What could be more sacred to the Jew than the num¬ ber ten, arising from its connection with the ten commandments; and the number twelve, from its relation to the twelve tribes of Israel ? The latter number is almost as frequently used as the number seven, and is more vitally con¬ nected with religion. A few cases of the uses made of the number twelve in the Bible will now be noted. There were twelve tribes of Israel; twelve apostles; twelve precious stones on the breastplate of judgment; twelve brazen oxen upon which rested the “ sea ”; twelve stones were taken out of Jordan; twelve hours in the day; twelve stars in the crown; the city had twelve gates; twelve angels were at the gates ; the walls of the city had twelve founda¬ tions; the gates.had twelve pearls; the tree bore twelve manner of fruits; twelve lions were on each side of the throne; twelve loaves of shewbread were placed on the table; there were twelve princes of the Ishmaelites; twelve pillars of the altar erected by Moses ; there were twelve months; there were twelve signs of the Zodiac ; there were twelve stones set up at Gilgal. In a single chapter of the Old Testament twelve occurs twenty-three times. 1 This list could be extended to greater length, but the above refer¬ ences will serve to show its frequent use in Biblical times and its connection with divine things.

It is some special thing, always a natural object, that gives a certain number preeminence over another. Authorities inform us that the number ten arose from the use of ten fingers and also ten toes, which were used in counting by tribes low in mental development. Twelve 1 1 Chron. xxv. chap.

Origin of the JVeeJc and Holy Bay. IT

was emphasized from the fact that there were twelve months or moons in the year. The prominence of four is due to the four directions or corners of the earth. Forty is another impor¬ tant number, being a combination of four and ten; also seventy, being a combination of seven and ten. So we see that the prominence of a number is derived from some special object in nature, and the number being attached to a sacred thing, obtains the rank of sacredness. To say that every Seventh Day rest was chosen because seven was a sacred number is no explanation, as it fails to tell us why seven was any more sacred or prominent than six.

The origin of seven as a prominent number is directly traceable to the practice of moon-worship. It must be borne in mind that the religion of the early tribes was that of nature worship. Indeed, it was with great difficulty that the Israelites were kept from worshipping the sun, stars, and the “ queen of heaven ” (moon). The Sacred Record makes reference fifteen times to the worship of the moon and “ the hosts of heaven” into which they were about to or had already fallen. These heavenly bodies were the most imposing objects to inspire worship, and the moon seems to have taken the first place in the devotion and reverence of primitive worship¬ pers. It was the moon that called forth the greatest attention. Proctor says, “ It can scarcely be questioned that the science of astronomy had its origin in the study of the moon.” 1 Almost every tribe in the early history of the race worshipped the moon. “ In Africa,” says Tyler, “ moon worship is prominent in an immense district where sun worship is unknown or is insignificant.” Generally speaking wandering nomads worshipped the moon, but when they settled down to an agricultural life, they wor¬ shipped the sun because most of their blessings were derived from the sun. 2 The “man in the moon ” is a familiar expression the world over. This man-like appearance led the early races into the notion that it was a god. They sup¬ posed that it was living, possessing the qualities of men, looking down upon them and taking note of all that they did. It journeyed from one extreme of the heavens to the other, changed its form and size, thus giving the idea of a living, acting, moving being. Besides this it was a pleasure to gaze upon the moon with its meek, mild, and beaming face, while the sun in his

1 The Moon, by Proctor, p. 1.

2 Primitive Culture, Vol. ii., p. 272.

Origin of the Week and Holy Day. 19

noonday splendor could not be endured for a moment.

Nothing is so well calculated to enlist the worship and admiration of a simple and primi¬ tive people as our lunar orb. When the new moon appeared it was greeted with devotion and reverence and fitting ceremonies were sacredly performed by all. At the appearance of the half moon, worship was again offered in its honor by its devoted patrons. As the full moon, in its glory and sublimity, rose in the eastern sky, it was once more a call to worship, and the assembled multitude paid their respects to it in a becoming way. Lastly the half moon with its horns reversed, was also given its share of wor¬ ship by its faithful devotees. Here are four days occurring on the changes of the moon, when special religious worship was held in its honor. If the time of each of the four phases of the moon is ascertained, it will be found to be practi¬ cally seven days. Thus the four quarters of the moon originated the four weeks of the month. The week then corresponds to a quarter or phase of the moon. As this week lasts practically seven days we have then the prominence of the number seven. As the special worship day took place on the first day of the change of the moon, it would occur every seventh day. On this day the natives wholly refrained from work because they thought it would anger the moon-god. It was the moon, then, that first determined the week and Holy Day.

Not only did it make the week but it was an instrument by which time was determined. There is scarcely an early tribe that did not measure time by the moon. This, no doubt, accounts for the word “ Ma,” meaning measurer, being applied to the moon, — because it measured all time. Sayce, in speaking of the Babylonian week, says, “ The week was a space of time naturally marked out by the phases of the moon.” 1 Wilkinson contributes to our knowledge on this point in these words, “ Weeks were the approximate of the lunar division of time.” 2 The Papago Indians measure by half moons and quarter moons. The inhabitants of Borneo reckon time by the phases of the moon. It is surprising how extensively the moon entered into the time calculation of the early races, even in America. A quotation from Lubbock will suffice on this point. Speaking of the Crees, he says : “ A resident who knew them before they were in their present half civilized

1 Fresh Light from Ancient Monuments, p. 25.

2 Customs and Manners of Egypt.

Origin of the Week and Holy Day. 21

state, says that they had names for the moons that make up the year, called whirlwind moons, moons when the fowls go south, moons when the leaves fall off the trees, etc. When a hunter left a record of his chase he pictured on a piece of birch bark for the information of others who might pass that way. He drew a picture which showed the name of the month, and beside it a drawing of the shape of the moon at the time so accurately, that an Indian could tell, from twelve to twenty-four hours, the moon and the day of the month when the record was set up.” 1

The moon in fact determined the year, the month, the week, and also the beginning of the day. It may seem absurd to state that the moon began the day, but it is explained in this way: as the new moon appeared a little after sundown, then the first day of the month would commence just at that hour. The day at that time com¬ menced in the evening, because the new moon first appeared in the evening. This fact accounts for the mention of an evening and morning, in Genesis, as constituting a day.

Objection is made by many reputable writers to the quartering of the moon, on the ground that the seven-day period is not an exact quarter of 1 Early History of Mankind, p. 70.

the lunar month. With as much reason could we say that the lunar month was not an aliquot of the ancient year, but the lunar month was made a factor of the lunar year by added time when the circumstances required it. The day is not an exact divisor of the year, for there has to be a day intercalated every four years. All astronomers know how difficult it is to get exact time. Our civil year does not correspond to the true solar year. Even the hour at one time of the year differs slightly from the hour at another time of the year, because the earth travels faster at some points of its orbit than it does at others. The sidereal clock at certain times of the year differs widely from that of our common timekeeper. For practical purposes, however, it is not necessary to enter into such mathematical exactness. It must be remembered that when this method of reckon¬ ing time was adopted there were no astronomical or mathematical instruments in existence to deter¬ mine accurate measurements. It is the practical rough-and-ready reckoning of untutored savages. To the primitive races the week of seven days was practically the quarter of the month, just as the month was practically the twelfth part of the year. The moon makes a revolution round the earth in about twenty-seven and a half days; that

Origin of the Week and Holy Day. 23

is, when it is seen in conjunction with a star or a group of stars it will take twenty-seven and a half days to reach the same station again. This is called the sidereal revolution. It requires twenty-nine and a half days for the moon to occupy the same position to the earth that it did before, which is called the synodical revolution. Mention has been made of the Hindoos, the Arabs, and the Chinese, having twenty-eight stations of the moon representing her monthly journey. As the day commenced with the night then there would be twenty-eight nights in their sidereal months. The inhabitants of Madagascar had a civil month of twenty-eight nights. The Ibos of the lower Niger had a month of twenty-eight days. The Congoese had also a month of twenty-eight days. Many other tribes in various parts of the world had a similar month of twenty-eight days or twenty-eight nights. Now, seven is just a quarter of this number of days or nights. But this was not the method first used by the earlier races, for this required some advance in astronomical knowledge.

At first, the moon was viewed as she appeared in her phases, and even then, many times, the week of seven days would exactly divide the month. One consideration must be kept in view, and that is, as Proctor says, “the months are longer in winter than in summer.” In winter

O

the earth travels faster, as it is nearer the sun, therefore making the months longer sometimes by about twelve hours. The moon at various times differs in its distance from the earth, to the extent of thirty-eight thousand miles, and this would also affect the length of the month.

The long months would have to add time to the four weeks to keep the weeks and phases of moon identical. Proctor tells of the Greeks adding an intercalating day at the end of the lunar month when it needed it, and called it “The old and the new,” because, they claimed, it belonged to the waning and reappearing moon. 1 If observations were taken of the moon in an off¬ hand way, it will be found that the seven-day week so beautifully fits in to the lunar month, that no other could well be chosen. Suppose that on a certain day the moon is due at six o’clock; seven days from that time, being the eighth day of the month, the half moon will appear; and seven days from this, being the fifteenth day of the month, the full moon will rise unto view. Add seven days more, which will be the twenty-second of the month, and the 1 The Great Pyramid, by Proctor, pp. 219, 220.

Origin of the Week and Holy Hay. 25

waning half presents itself: seven days from this date would bring us to the twenty-ninth day of the month, where we would be likely to see another new moon. The “ Records of the Past” incidentally states many times that the new moon was seen on the twenty-ninth day of the month, thus making a month of twenty-eight days. We have seen that the seven nights is an exact divisor of the sidereal month, and seven days for practical purposes is a divisor of the synodic month, so that it can be safely said that the week of seven days, in a practical way, is a quarter of the lunar month. Thus, the objection that the week was not a factor of the lunar month, cannot be sustained by the force of facts.

In some places, especially among American Indians, seven is a prominent number from the fact of its being the sum of the cardinal direc¬ tions including the centre, viz., east, west, north, south, zenith, nadir and self or centre. This idea is prevalent however in an exceedingly limited part of the globe. While the prominence of seven may have arisen in this way with an insignificant number of people, its prominence with mankind generally took its rise from the number of days constituting a quarter of the moon.